Sirius' Terrible Mistake
by Insert Clever Potter Name Here
Summary: *originally posted to Tumblr* The aftermath of The Prank. Marauders gen


_**Posted to my Tumblr before, decided to move it here.**_

* * *

Sirius sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands.

"How could you?" James asked, pacing. "Did you even think- oh bloody Hell, did you even _care_ what would have happened to Remus? How he would have felt?"

Sirius said nothing, he felt horrible enough. Because he didn't think. He just wanted to get Snape back for well, existing. He didn't even stop to think about how Remus would have felt, waking up in a pool of blood and a mangled body of a _fellow student_ nearby.

Sirius was relieved James had overheard the plan from Peter, who had been unable to convince Sirius not to do it. James had arrived, panting, having run from the dormitory to the base of the tree. But Snape hadn't listened, and James had to follow him down the tunnel- and it was too late. Whether or not Remus had already transformed, Sirius didn't know. If he had, would he realised who it was? And who had sent him? If he hadn't, was his last sight the sight of Snape and James running back down the tunnel as his bones broke and shifted?

Would he know it was Sirius' fault?

The door opened, and James stopped pacing. Peter looked up from his perch on his bed.

"Remus, are you alright?" Peter asked cautiously.

"Was it rough last night?" James asked.

But Remus ignored both of them. He walked by them, heading for Sirius. Sirius stood, facing Remus. He couldn't tell if Remus looked more angry than afraid, but Sirius opened his mouth to apologise.

"How could you?" Was all Remus said before he grabbed Sirius and threw him to the ground. He was suddenly on top of the smaller boy, punching him over and over.

"Remus, no!" James yelled, trying to grab Remus' shoulders and pull him away.

" _You arsehole, you moron, you cunt! You son of a bitch!"_ Remus yelled, punching Sirius' nose and mouth and jaw- Sirius was bleeding now, but making no attempt to defend himself.

"I'll get McGonagall!" Peter squeaked as James continue to try to pry Remus off of Sirius.

Finally, Remus seemed to tire himself out. He allowed James to drag him and they fell in a heap a few feet from Sirius. James kept his arms wrapped tightly around Remus' shoulders. Remus was shaking, but James thought it was anger. And then he heard it- Remus was sobbing.

"I could have killed him!" Remus sobbed. "And then what? I'd get expelled, arrested- but Sirius, _why_?"

"What happened?" McGonagall's voice demanded from the doorway. "Mr Black- Mr Lupin- what on Earth would possess you to-"

"A fight, it's over." James said, now holding Remus more loosely. "It was just a fight."

"Mr Lupin, Mr Black, you'll have detention every night for two weeks." McGonagall said, heading for Sirius. "Hold still, I'll fix you up and we can take you to Madam-"

"No, heal him first." Sirius said, wiping his nose on his sleeve and standing. "Heal Remus first."

McGonagall turned to Remus, waving her wand over his bruised knuckles. "I don't need to know the whole story, but I need to know this won't happen again." She said, turning back to Sirius. "Now, Mr Black-"

"No, leave it. And don't punish Remus. I'll do a month of detentions, don't give him any-" Sirius said, looking at his feet. "I deserved it."

Over the next three weeks, Sirius' bruises went from dark purple to faded yellow- and Remus hadn't said a word to him since the fight.

"James,-" Sirius began one morning in the Great Hall. As soon as Sirius arrived for breakfast, Remus got up and left.

"Give him time." James said shortly. "You really did deserve it."

"I'll still come." Sirius said. "Next week, I'll be there."

"Without Snape, I hope." James replied dryly. "That really was a cruel thing, for both of them."

"I know." Sirius said. "I know, James. But, I did it, the thing we've been trying. I did it- managed it this morning. Have you- did you give up?"

James and Peter looked at Sirius. "We expected you to give it up." Peter said. "But we've both done it."

* * *

Remus sat on the floor of the Shrieking Shack, alone. He wasn't surprised the others would choose Sirius over him. He was just surprised it had taken so long.

He heard shuffling footsteps, and creaking floorboards. Did they send more students his way?

"Shh, Padfoot!" A voice demanded.

Padfoot? Who the Hell was Padfoot?

"Prongs, just keep going!"

Remus realised he knew those voices. But those names...

The three boys appeared as James whipped the Cloak off of them.

"Hey, Moony." James said.

"Moony?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, that's you." Sirius said. "I'm Padfoot-"

"I'm Prongs." James said.

"And I'm Wormtail." Peter said, grinning.

"You shouldn't be here." Remus said.

"Well, we can be here. How about we show him?" Sirius offered. A second later, a dog stood where Sirius had been. A stag where James had been, and a rat where Peter had been. Remus felt the pull of the moon, and the pain began.

The dog stepped forward cautiously.

"You guys did this? For me?" Remus asked, hoarsely. The dog nodded, and barked once, as his bones began breaking and shifting. He screamed in pain, but the animals remained.

The next morning, he woke up, covered in a school cloak. The dog, the stag and the rat were all around him, asleep on the dusty floor.

"Thank you." Remus said quietly.


End file.
